I've got a plumbing problem

[AZjeff]

One of the problems with that idea is plumbers make lousy concrete finishers.

The plumbing is all laid out in trenches and covered with sand or whatever with pipes coming straight up where fixtures go and the concrete guys do their thing.

 

[Sumboodie]

I'd have to really see the layout to offer advice. Is there a functional shower/tub in that bathroom?

Otherwise if the toilet works, then I'd probably stub off that and run a small under cabinet water heater.

 

[grasscutter]

Someone said to T off the toilet. I found this.

Yeah. Tell your wife that the water coming out of the sink is the same water that's supplying the toilet. See how well that goes over.

 

[Chris142]

Chris, if you take those valves off be sure to hold onto the pipe behind them and don't put any torque on the pipe or you could have a mess.

There's no way. Not enough pipe sticking out of the wall to grab onto..

Looking at it it's definitely 1/2 pipe and not 3/4. The pipe outside where the water shut off is is only 3/4 pipe

 

[AZjeff]

There's no way. Not enough pipe sticking out of the wall to grab onto..

You risk twisting off the pipe then. Are you feeling lucky?

 

[Pablo]

There's no way. Not enough pipe sticking out of the wall to grab onto..

Looking at it it's definitely 1/2 pipe and not 3/4. The pipe outside where the water shut off is is only 3/4 pipe

Is it drywall or plaster?

Don’t be afraid of that

 

[Chris142]

Is it drywall or plaster?

Don’t be afraid of that

Some sort of plaster. It's like very weak cement

 

[Pablo]

Some sort of plaster. It's like very weak cement

You should able to make a reasonable patch

 

[dlundblad]

This is no different than flushing a rusty radiator. If the pipes are rusted closed, you could either clear it and/ or make it leak somewhere. Can these be turned off?

 

[Wireman1987]

If it is threaded galvanized most likely it’s 3/8 or 1/2” ip x 3/8” compression.

 

[Chris142]

BITOG isn't buying it brother. House repairs is just mechanicking different materials. You're a mechanic and you live in a 70 YO homesteader cabin that's been expanded, electrified, and plumbed over the years likely not to any standard. How do you keep it going? Everything needs replaced and upgraded over time, either you learn how to handyman/DIY things or pay someone else piles of money. Or ignore it when something fails.

It's too bad you weren't there when the plumber was, you really don't know what he did or didn't do. Your idea of do no harm is correct but you have to diagnose the problem somehow. I'm not a plumber but I'd start at the faucet and work back carefully. It seems strange that both hot and cold are dry but the toilet and shower have water, did the sink not have water when you moved in?

When I say I'm no good I mean.... I hate doing home stuff. I do not own ANY wood working tools or tools for cutting a cement foundation up.

I do not enjoy doing home repairs at all. It's not "Fun".

Sure I can screw a pipe together or mount a hose reel to my garage wall. I added a check valve to my well a couple years back to prevent water from running out of my tank and back down the well.

It's ugly but functional.

Wife wanted an outdoor shower. I built this. I used a chainsaw to cut the boards to the length I needed as I do not own any wood working tools.

Guess I should start checking out yard sales for those.

 

[Chris142]

Got two 1/4 turn valves and a bottle of pipe thread sealent ( for potable water) this morning.

I will see how lucky I feel this evening.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Got two 1/4 turn valves and a bottle of pipe thread sealent ( for potable water) this morning.

I will see how lucky I feel this evening.

Go for it @Chris142
Then add Plumber Extraordinaire to your resume!

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm adding this story to my long list of reason to never own a slab house. Plumbing belongs in a basement or crawlspace there it can be maintained.

 

[Terry Hennessy]

The sink in our front bathroom has not worked in many years. I was pretty certain I knew why but let it be as I'm no Plummer and it's a problem that's bigger than I can handle.

Wife decided to call a Plummer out of the blue yesterday. Never told me untill I got home.

He confirmed what I had assumed.

The pipes leading to the sink are rusted shut.

He gave her a $12000 quote to repipe the problem which includes jack hammering the foundation up.

I can't afford that but she wants the sink to work.

Now this is a silly question I'm sure.

What are the chances of me causing a leak by say putting vinegar in the pipes to eat the rust? How about blowing them out with compressed air?

I certainly do not want to cause a leak.

You can have copper pipes, but on mine some years back, someone installed galvanized nipples out of wall to stop valves and the galvanized nipple clogs w/ rust pretty quick; cure was to convert nipples to chromed brass. Maybe you have similar issue?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I wonder what percentage of that $12,000 quote is due to your remote setting.

Is a new run of drainpipe doable? It's just one sink, yes? (I'm assuming supply TO the sink is OK)

I do believe any acid (or such) which would dissolve the accumulated rust flakes would also dissolve the remaining pipe.

I don't wonder the contractor is a holdup artist. But this is a great reason you don't buy a house with a slab foundation.

 

[Chris142]

I don't wonder the contractor is a holdup artist. But this is a great reason you don't buy a house with a slab foundation.

No other option in my area.

 

[AZjeff]

I'm adding this story to my long list of reason to never own a slab house. Plumbing belongs in a basement or crawlspace there it can be maintained.

But this is a great reason you don't buy a house with a slab foundation.

Easy thing to say but greatly limits your choices in some areas. Not a thing in MD or Wa.

 

[Mazomopar]

The sink in our front bathroom has not worked in many years. I was pretty certain I knew why but let it be as I'm no Plummer and it's a problem that's bigger than I can handle.

Wife decided to call a Plummer out of the blue yesterday. Never told me untill I got home.

He confirmed what I had assumed.

The pipes leading to the sink are rusted shut.

He gave her a $12000 quote to repipe the problem which includes jack hammering the foundation up.

I can't afford that but she wants the sink to work.

Now this is a silly question I'm sure.

What are the chances of me causing a leak by say putting vinegar in the pipes to eat the rust? How about blowing them out with compressed air?

I certainly do not want to cause a leak.

The sink in our front bathroom has not worked in many years. I was pretty certain I knew why but let it be as I'm no Plummer and it's a problem that's bigger than I can handle.

Wife decided to call a Plummer out of the blue yesterday. Never told me untill I got home.

He confirmed what I had assumed.

The pipes leading to the sink are rusted shut.

He gave her a $12000 quote to repipe the problem which includes jack hammering the foundation up.

I can't afford that but she wants the sink to work.

Now this is a silly question I'm sure.

What are the chances of me causing a leak by say putting vinegar in the pipes to eat the rust? How about blowing them out with compressed air?

I certainly do not want to cause a leak.

You might want to test the drain part of the equation before getting going to all of the effort fixing the fresh water inflow. Pour a couple 5 gallons buckets of h20 down the drain and see if it empties. Kind of like not draining a gear box til you know you can get the fill plug out first.